Formulate your viewing game plan and find out where to watch Fantasy Football, a movie that combines video games with authentic NFL football action at a level never seen before.
Going by just the title, you may think that Fantasy Football is about the phenomenon of fantasy sports, where fans draft their own teams of players and then hope that the athletes perform up to expectations in real life. Instead, this is a story about a teenage girl, Callie played Marsai Martin of Black-ish fame, who is a master of the Madden video games and acquires the ability to control her NFL father from a gaming console. Omari Hardwick known for his role in Army of the Dead, plays Bobby Coleman, a struggling running back for the Atlanta Falcons in danger of losing his place on the team. Much of the movie explores the conflicts that Callie faces as a teenager who has been forced to constantly change cities and schools and finds her abilities blocking her attempts to fit in with her newfound friends.
Offering a wholesome family-friendly experience, Fantasy Football is produced by Lebron James's production company SpringHill, and is directed by Anton Cropper, who previously worked on Black-ish and Suits. You can see how the entire Fantasy Football saga unfolds, and watch it now at Paramount+.
Watch Fantasy Football on Paramount+
What is the Source of Callie's Madden Powers
The premise of Fantasy Football may take some leaps of faith to accept, but that is nothing unusual for movies that seek to combine video games with reality. After a rival running back signs a video game cover for Callie, an argument ensues with her father, resulting in the pair being hit by a lightning bolt along with the game disc Callie was holding. Somehow, all three become connected in a way that allows Callie to maneuver her father on the field with an Xbox controller during his NFL games. Being a highly-accomplished Madden video game player, Callie gives Bobby the speed, agility, and awareness as a running back that turn him from a fringe player into the superstar talent he had been dreaming of.
Of course, fame always comes with a price, and Bobby's obsession with becoming an NFL legend is only further fueled by his enhanced abilities. His suddenly blossoming career demands more and more of Callie's time at the expense of her social life, which inevitably leads to friction in their relationship.
The struggle of a teenager dealing with new supernatural abilities while also trying to fit in at school is a familiar theme in recent movies. Just like Peter Parker in Spider-Man, Cassie's extraordinary video game abilities come at the expense of school activities and friends, and she soon wishes the lightning strike incident never happened. Meanwhile, Cassie's father implores her to keep playing Madden until he achieves hall-of-fame status. The situation also complicates Cassie's normally close relationship with her mother, Keisha played by Kelly Rowland, as Bobby does not want her to know about their secret arrangement. Bobby who is portrayed as selfish and materialistic throughout much of the movie is not the most appealing character from a family values perspective, but as the story progresses, the writers try to evolve his character into a more traditional father figure.
Where to Watch Fantasy Football
There have been plenty of compelling football movies that lack the licenses of authentic leagues, teams, or video games, but Fantasy Football takes a very different approach, securing agreements with the NFL, EA Sports, and also features appearances by Tony Gonzalez and commentators Jim Nantz and Tony Romo. You can witness the star power for yourself and watch the 98-minute Fantasy Football streaming now on Paramount+.
